PROLEGOMENA TO ONTOLOGY

treats it scientifically, and thus philosophically (§ 792 Logic); such a person uses no terms except those explained by an accurate definition, admits no principles unless they are sufficiently proven (§ 116, 117 Preliminary Discourse), and accepts no propositions unless they are accurately determined and legitimately deduced from sufficiently proven principles (§ 121, 118 Preliminary Discourse). Consequently, he reduces terms to complete and determined notions (§ 152 Logic), and thus distinct ones (§ 88, 92 Logic), just as he reduces propositions to possible notions (§ 520 Logic) and ensures those notions are precisely defined (§ 320, 123 Logic).

However, the Scholastics Scholastics Scholasticism was the traditional method of philosophy and theology taught in European universities from the Middle Ages through the 17th century, often criticized by Enlightenment thinkers for its reliance on rigid tradition and overly complex, "confused" terminology. in their philosophy used poorly defined terms, often contenting themselves with confused and sometimes utterly obscure notions. They did not sufficiently prove their principles, but rested instead on vague rules original: canonibus vagis that were subject to many exceptions. This state of affairs brought Scholastic Ontology into contempt, especially after Descartes René Descartes (1596–1650), the French philosopher often called the father of modern philosophy, who emphasized "clear and distinct" ideas as the only basis for true knowledge. commanded that confused and obscure notions be banished from philosophy.

It is therefore abundantly clear that Scholastic philosophy is not being "recalled to the schools" Wolff is defending himself against the charge that he is simply repeating old, outdated medieval philosophy. when it is presented through the scientific method. Rather, we are correcting exactly what was rightly criticized in it. Thus, what was previously useless (§ 138 Preliminary Discourse) and offered no certain or distinct knowledge (§ 137 Preliminary Discourse)—indeed, what could neither be sufficiently understood nor recognized as true (§ 136 Preliminary Discourse)—may now be useful for both science and life (§ 122, 148 Preliminary Discourse). Not only will the sayings of the Scholastics be more clearly understood and brought to greater certainty, allowing their connection with other truths to be seen (§ 161 Preliminary Discourse), but the new Ontology will also receive further growth (§ 170 Preliminary Discourse).

Leibniz Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716), a German polymath and Wolff's mentor. Leibniz was a pioneer in logic and metaphysics who sought a "universal characteristic" or a rigorous logical language for all thought. recognized the defects of Scholastic Ontology and judged its correction to be a primary necessity. Although he publicly recommended this task to the learned in the year 1694 within the pages of the Acta Eruditorum The Acta Eruditorum (Reports of the Learned) was the first scientific journal of the German-speaking lands, published in Latin. (p. 110 and following), no one undertook the challenge. To be sure, even before him, Johannes Clauberg Johannes Clauberg (1622–1665) was a German philosopher who attempted to reconcile Cartesianism with traditional Aristotelian philosophy; he is often credited with being the first to use the term "Ontology."—by everyone’s admission the best interpreter of Descartes—had attempted it. He did so even while Cyriacus Lentulus (a Professor at Herborn, a man of letters but ignorant of philosophy, possessed of windy pride and a turbulent mind) sounded the battle-cry original: classicum canente; literally "sounding the trumpet," a metaphor for starting a public intellectual dispute. against him, [pre-]